"Putin’s arrival in Ukrainian Crimea without prior agreement with the Ukrainian authorities is a challenge to a civilized world. It continues the scenario of aggravating the crisis in Donbas. Such trips are leading to further militarization of the Crimean peninsula and are pushing it to greater isolation. Crimea has a future, including in the sphere of tourism, only if it remains part of Ukraine," the Ukrainian president said.

Russian President Vladimir Putin held a meeting of the presidium of the State Council devoted to development of tourism in Russia in Yalta, Crimea, on Monday. Putin will take part in events devoted to the 170th anniversary of foundation of the Russian Geographic Society as part of his working trip to the Crimean Federal District.

On March 16, 2014, the authorities in Crimea and Sevastopol held a referendum on the peninsula’s reunification with Russia in which 80% of eligible voters took part: 96.7% of the voters in Crimea and 95.6% in the federal city of Sevastopol voted for reunification with Russia.

On March 18, 2014, Russian President Vladimir Putin signed a treaty on reunification of the Republic of Crimea and the federal city of Sevastopol with Russia. The Russian Federal Assembly (parliament) ratified the treaty on March 21.

Despite the convincing referendum results, Kiev refused to recognize Crimea as part of Russia.